San Leandro Introduces Free Public Wi-Fi in City Parks

By SLNext

In Uncategorized

Oct 18th, 2018

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Photo courtesy of the San Leandro Times

On October 15, 2018, Mayor Pauline Russo Cutter and members of the City Council, as well as other elected public officials and guests in attendance, launched the expansion of public Wi-Fi to City parks. The event follows the City’s expansion of broadband infrastructure improvements including wireless internet availability.

This event marked the official unveiling of ultra-fast public Wi-Fi at Marina Park, which will soon be followed by expansion of public Wi-Fi into Joaquin and Washington Plazas downtown, and Halcyon, Floresta, Siempre Verde, Toyon, Stenzel, and Memorial Parks. On September 17, 2018, the City Council approved the Fiber Optics Master Plan, which provides a detailed roadmap for future fiber optics expansion routes. The City is actively working to ensure the successful and timely rollout of wireless small cell devices and paving the way for 5G in the community in the future.

San Leandro has been working on the implementation of various components of the City’s Fiber Optics Master Plan and Smart City Strategy following input and comments from the public. The Fiber Optics Master Plan and Smart City Strategy highlight a variety of current and future smart city initiatives that can be made possible in San Leandro by utilizing the City’s fiber optics network. The Fiber Optics Master Plan also presents an overview of potential models for expansion of broadband services in the community.

“We are committed to leveraging public and private assets through the use of Smart City technologies to make our community better for everyone here in San Leandro,” noted Mayor Pauline Russo Cutter. “Together with our partners at the National League of Cities and California League of Cities, our City is pushing hard for further infrastructure investment at both the state and national levels, which includes smart city efforts such as public Wi-Fi.”

“Smart City” technology refers to the use of technological solutions to more efficiently manage municipal assets and resources while improving the overall quality of life for people within a community. Examples include smart streetlights, smart parking systems, intelligent transportation systems, enhanced broadband services, and data analytics programs and related information systems, among others.

Please consider that over 20% of San Leandro households have no internet connection. Getting WiFi to our parks is part of the City’s efforts to “bridge the digital divide.” Soon a library patron will be able to check out a hot spot device. I think of the benefits to students whose use of the internet at schools where fast fiber has been available for years. What happens to them when they get home and there’s no internet?

As for spending city taxes, Smart City initiatives will save us millions of dollars over just a few years. It will also reduce our collective carbon footprint.